Coronavirus: Girl Scouts given government bailout as cookie sales plummet

'It’s our bridge to keep things going' head of one Alaksan council says

Cookie sales plummeted in the state after businesses were forced to close amidst the coronavirus pandemic (Getty Images)

Girl Scouts in Alaska have received a government bailout after the coronavirus lockdown halted all their cookie sales for the foreseeable future, according to a report.

The Girl Scouts were forced to stop selling boxes of cookies last month when the coronavirus pandemic forced business closures, all but halting their cash flow, the Anchorage Daily News reported.

The money from the cookie drive reportedly contributes heavily to the Girl Scout's council's expenditure including camps and scholarships for 3,500 girls and wages for 20 full-time employees.

However, before the scout leaders had to decide where to make cuts, they were notified by First National Bank Alaska notified that they were to receive a federal Paycheck Protection Program loan, according to the Daily News.

“It’s our bridge to keep things going,” Leslie Ridle, head of one of two Girl Scouts councils in Alaska, told the newspaper.

After a loan officer worked tirelessly to gather information on the council, the body was granted enough funds to keep on their employees and provide virtual activities for girl scouts, Ms Ridle said

The Anchorage-based group is said to be sitting on about 144,000 unsold boxes which are taking up space in residents' garages.

“I’m hearing from lots of families: ‘When am I getting these out of my living rooms?'”, Ms Ridle said.

Before a statewide order mandating the close of non-essential businesses in a bid to stem the spread of Covid-19, the girl scout head said sales of the treats were skyrocketing.

“It was frenzied shopping, and people were hoarding cookies like they were toilet paper,” Ms Ridle told the outlet.

However, she is hopeful that when the effects of the pandemic start to die down the people of Alaska will still want to return to their “ultimate comfort food.”